Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelsafu’

ABSTRACT

A new  calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by deep-violet flowers, abundant branching with a great profusion of blooms, continuously flowers from spring to late fall, excellent tolerance to rain and high temperatures, and a vigorous, mounding plant habit is disclosed.

Genus and species: Calibrachoa sp.

Variety denomination: ‘Sunbelsafu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofcalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Sunbelsafu’. The new cultivaroriginated from a hybridization made in April 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan. The female parent was the proprietary calibrachoa plant ‘V14’(unpatented), while the male parent was the proprietary calibrachoaplant ‘P30’ (unpatented).

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The present invention has been found to retainits distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

-   -   1. Deep-violet flowers;    -   2. Abundant branching with a great profusion of blooms;    -   3. Vigorous and mounding plant habit;    -   4. Continuously flowers from spring to late fall; and    -   5. Excellent tolerance to rain and high temperatures.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the overall plant habit including blooms, budsand foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can bereasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Thephotographs are of a 4-month-old plant grown outdoors in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds andfoliage.

FIG. 2 shows mature flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Sunbelsafu’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The plant history was taken on 4-month oldplants which were planted as rooted cuttings in 15-cm pots in a springtrial setting in 2005 and grown outdoors in temperatures ranging between13° C. and 23° C. The plants were pinched once in April 2005.Observations were made when the plants were in full flower in May 2005.Color readings were taken under natural light in the greenhouse. Colorreferences are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Botanically.—Calibrachoa sp.        -   Common name.—Calibrachoa.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘V14’, a proprietary violet (RHS N87A)            flowered calibrachoa plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘P30’, a proprietary purple (RHS 75A) flowered            calibrachoa plant (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Form.—Annual.        -   Habit.—Mounding, freely branching and vigorous.        -   Height (measured from the top of the soil).—14.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—47.2 cm.        -   Propagation.—Terminal tips for cutting.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 2 to 3            weeks for a 15-cm pot.        -   Keeping quality.—210 days.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use in pots, hanging baskets or            planters and for use as ground cover; excellent tolerance to            rain and high temperatures.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—7 days at 20° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce rooted cutting or liner (young plant).—21            days at 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Light brown, fibrous, fine, fleshy and            free-branching.-   Stems:    -   -   Description.—Round in cross-section.        -   Number of branches.—6 basal branches; 40 lateral branches.        -   Length of lateral branches.—17.2 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—0.17 cm.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Stem color.—RHS 144B.        -   Internode length.—2.5 cm.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single leaves, 15 leaves per lateral            branch.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color (immature leaves).—Upper surface: RHS 143B. Lower            surface: RHS 146C.        -   Color (mature leaves).—Upper surface: RHS 147A. Lower            surface: RHS 147B.        -   Size.—Length: 3.9 cm. Width: 1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Texture.—Pubescent on both upper and lower surfaces.        -   Venation.—Type: Reticulate. Color (both upper and lower            surfaces): RHS 144C.        -   Petiole.—Length: 0.9 cm. Diameter: 0.5 cm. Color: RHS 144C.            Texture: Pubescent.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Color.—RHS 83A.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Size.—Length: 2.3 cm. Diameter: 0.58 cm.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous from spring to late fall.        -   Inflorescence type.—Indefinite, solitary flower,            self-cleaning.        -   Arrangement.—Borne in upper leaf axils.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Shape.—Salverform.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Flower number (per inflorescence).—One.        -   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant.—300.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—7 to 10 days.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 144B with RHS N199B anthocyanin            pigmentation. Length: 2.0 cm. Diameter: 0.6 cm. Texture:            Pubescent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Size.—Height (flower depth): 2.7 cm. Diameter: 3.8 cm.        -   Corolla tube.—Shape: Tube-shaped. Tube length: 1.7 cm.            Diameter (proximal end): 0.22 cm. Diameter (distal end):            0.84 cm. Color outside: RHS N77B with RHS N77A venation.            Color inside: RHS 7B with RHS N79A venation.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Composed of 5 fused petals arranged in            a single whorl. Shape: Spatulate, fused. Size: Length:            1.6 cm. Width: 1.6 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Color (when opening): Upper surface: RHS N81A with            RHS 83A venation. Lower surface: RHS N78C with RHS N92A            venation. Color (fully opened): Upper surface: RHS N81A with            RHS 83A venation. Lower surface: RHS N80A with RHS N92A            venation. Petal texture (both upper and lower surfaces):            Smooth, satiny.        -   Calyx.—Form: Tubular, star-shaped. Length: 1.7 cm. Diameter:            1.8 cm.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl. Number: 5. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Size:            Length: 1.7 cm. Width: 0.39 cm. Color (immature): Upper            surface: RHS 146B. Lower surface: RHS 200C. Color (mature):            Upper surface: RHS 137B. Lower surface: RHS 137C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 5. Filament: Length: 0.5 cm to 1.0 cm.            Color: RHS 150D. Anther: Shape: Ellipsoid. Size: 0.10 cm.            Color: RHS 4C.        -   Pollen.—Amount: Moderate. Color: RHS 8C.        -   Pistil.—Quantity: One. Length: 0.52 cm.        -   Style.—Length: 0.52 cm. Color: RHS 144C.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Transversely ellipsoid. Color: RHS 144C.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 145A.-   Fruit and seed set: Seed production has not been observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility to diseases or insects noted to date.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Sunbelsafu’ differs from the female parent ‘V14’ (unpatented), byhaving deep violet flowers and a mounding growth habit, while ‘V14’ hasviolet flowers and a spreading growth habit.

‘Sunbelsafu’ differs from the male parent ‘P30’ (unpatented), by havingdeep violet flowers and shallow corolla lobing, while ‘P30’ has purpleflowers and deeper corolla lobing. Additionally, ‘Sunbelsafu’ has alarger flower diameter than ‘P30’.

‘Sunbelsafu’ is similar to the commercial variety ‘Sunbelchipi’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,355) however, there are differences as listed in Table1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison of Characteristics between ‘Sunbelsafu’ and‘Sunbelchipi’ Character- istic ‘Sunbelsafu’ ‘Sunbelchlpi’ Stem color RHS144B RHS 144B with RHS N186C anthocyanin Leaf color Upper surface: RHS143B Upper surface: RHS 137B (immature) Lower surface: RHS 146C Lowersurface: RHS 137C Leaf color Upper surface: RHS 147A Upper surface: RHS137B (mature) Lower surface: RHS 147B Lower surface: RHS 137C Petiole0.9 cm 0.32 cm length Flower bud RHS 83A RHS 59C color Flower 3.8 cm 3.3cm diameter Petal apex Rounded Truncate Petal color Upper surface: RHSN81A Upper surface: RHS N57A (when with RHS 83A venation Lower surface:RHS 66B opening) Lower surface: RHS 78C with RHS N186C venation with RHSN92A venation Petal color Upper surface: RHS N81A Upper surface: RHSN66A (fully with RHS 83A venation Lower surface: RHS N66C opened) Lowersurface: RHS N80A with RHS N92A venation Corolla tube 0.84 cm 0.77 cmdiameter (distal end) Corolla tube RHS 7B with RHS N79A RHS 9A with RHSN186C color (inside) venation venation Corolla tube RHS N77B with RHS150D with RHS N186C color RHS N77A venation venation (outside) Sepalapex Acute Obtuse Sepal width 0.39 cm 0.26 cm Sepal color Upper surface:RHS 146B Upper surface: RHS 137B (immature) Lower surface: RHS 200CLower surface: RHS 137C Peduncle RHS 144B RHS 143B color Anther colorRHS 4C RHS 16C

1. A new and distinct cultivar of calibrachoa plant as shown anddescribed herein.